Antenna Cyprus, the free to air independent broadcaster, has upgraded its playout infrastructure and paved the way for the move to HD with a new server platform from Harmonic. The Spectrum media server supports file-based operations, and is designed to be completely scalable as the needs of the broadcaster grow.
“We chose to upgrade to the Spectrum media server because of its excellent reputation and simple scalability,” said Michael Dallas, technical director at Antenna Cyprus. “The server enables us to accept and work with a variety of file types which is increasingly important as more and more content – from commercials to sports coverage – is being delivered to us via file transfer.
“The ease with which we can move files around our facility has brought realtime savings to our operations,” he added. “As we look towards HD playout and the launch of additional channels, we are confident the Harmonic system will best support fast and cost-effective expansion.”
The installation in Nicosia includes Harmonic Spectrum MediaDirector controllers, MediaPort realtime encoders and decoders, and MediaStore storage arrays. The modular structure of the network gives the broadcaster future scope to scale channels, storage, bandwidth and redundancy independently.
By supporting a wide range of video formats and wrappers it makes it easy for Antenna Cyprus to ingest and manage content. It also includes open networking protocols, so it is simple to share material with Avid Media Composer edit suites. The streamlined workflow also encompasses automated playout.
The system was implemented by Pierides TechnoSystems, Harmonic’s channel partner in Athens.
By Dick Hobbs
